Leicester City took on Manchester United in the FA Cup and Wilfred Ndidi returned to the side.
Ruud van Nistelrooy has had a torrid time since moving to the King Power Stadium, only managing to beat Tottenham Hotspur in his last nine Premier League games.
Prior to that, the Dutchman secured a 3-1 victory over West Ham United and a 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion.
Wilfred Ndidi played just 52 minutes of the draw with the Seagulls before suffering an injury that has kept him out of the Foxes’ torrid run.
However, the 28-year-old would make his triumphant return when Leicester City lost to Manchester United on February 7th.
Despite the defeat, Ndidi earned high praise from Foxes fans for his 58-minute cameo, which included playing a key role in their only goal of the night.
It was a starring display from the Nigerian with it becoming very apparent that Van Nistelrooy’s Leicester future is tied to Ndidi.
Wilfred Ndidi stats for Leicester City vs Manchester United
He may have been on the pitch for less than an hour but the Nigerian’s impact was obvious.
Boubakary Soumare looked much improved when playing alongside him, while Leicester on the whole were more solid defensively.
And unlike in many games we have seen this season, the Foxes actually dominated the middle battle while he was on the pitch.
| Wilfred Ndidi | Stats vs Manchester United |
| Minutes | 59 |
| Touches | 52 |
| Accurate passes | 35/43 (81%) |
| Aerial duels (won) | 2 (2) |
| Defensive actions | 3 |
| Sofascore rating | 7.0 |
Given that Ndidi was injured for nearly two months, it made sense that Van Nistelrooy opted to take him off in a cup game.
Premier League survival is obviously the focus and though their chances of staying up remain slim, it’s clear they will be boosted by the return of Ndidi.
However, the midfielder being back and excelling does spell bad news for one of Leicester’s biggest transfer flops.
Oliver Skipp’s Leicester City career is all but over now Wilfred Ndidi is back
Oliver Skipp made the move to the Midlands in the most recent summer transfer window, joining for somewhere around £20m plus a further potential £5m in add-ons, according to Sky Sports.
The seven-figure deal sanctioned by Leicester’s owners has proven to be a serious disaster already this term.
Skipp was woeful versus Newcastle United and after failing to complete a single tackle in an hour of that match, he has not played more than 45 minutes in the Premier League since.
Limited options meant he continued to be used off the bench but now Ndidi is back to his best, it’s hard to see the former Tottenham Hotspur man getting any meaningful playing time moving forward.
Skipp was hopeful his Leicester form would improve but his chance to prove himself may have already come and gone.